Duke Ellington’s rare watch sells for $1.5 million

May 14, 2002byJCK Magazine

An extremely rare gold wristwatch owned by American jazz legend Duke Ellington sold in auction for 2.5 million Swiss francs ($1.56 million) on May 13 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Patek Philippe split-second chronograph is only one of two examples ever made and was purchased by the international jazz great in 1948 at the luxury watchmaker’s boutique in Geneva, says the auction house, Phillips, de Pury & Luxembourg.

A Swiss private museum bought the Patek Philippe chronograph in the auction. The watch sold for almost twice its pre-sale estimate, says Phillips, de Pury & Luxembourg.

Ellington’s 50-year career included such hits as “New Orleans” and “Take the ‘A’ Train.” He died in 1974.